One Story
by tvaddict23
Summary: SaraGriss romance. The fluff fest continues chapter 4 up COMPLETE
1. From The Inside

DISCLAIMER – Not mine. Belong to Anthony Zuiker, et al, CBS and Alliance Atlantis.

A/N - Based on Linkin Park's "From the Inside".

* * *

**From the Inside**

Sara was exhausted, both physically and emotionally as she climbed into her Denali. Another case involving a battered wife, kids being sent to foster homes until the mother had her life under control, and their abusive father could be convicted.

It bought up her own past once again and she was sure everyone in the lab and Police Department for that matter knew of her appalling family secret and the disastrous childhood that had ensued.

To add to the stress of the case, she'd heard that Grissom had asked Sophie to dinner. Which bought up the two additional stresses, and strangely they were also linked. Her "what the hell relationship" relationship with Grissom, whom she'd poured her heart out to more than once, and each time she'd trusted her heart with him, he'd betrayed her. If not directly then indirectly.

Then of course there was Sophie. The blond cloud that had come across her already stormy life. The way Grissom acted toward and around her, had on occasion made her physically ill.

So as she drove home with the sun just beginning to rise, thoughts weighed heavy on her already troubled mind. There had been so many times when she'd been determined not to let Grissom and his eclectic attitude toward her. One day he was holding her hand as she broke down trusting him with her past.

Then she hears that he's asked out the "blond" and her mind reeled when she thought back to his flat "no" the one time she'd asked him to dinner.

The tune on her radio suddenly caught her attention. She'd heard it before, but had never equated it with her life. As the song continued it was as though she were suddenly hearing it for the first time.

"_I don't know who to trust, no surprise…All I ever think about is this all the tiring and time between and how trying to put my trust in you just takes so much out of me."_

As she drove and the song came to an end, it seemed that everyone but her knew what the churning in her mind was about. The rest of the morning's play-list, talkback and jingles passed her by as her mind contemplated the song the rest of the way home.

Six years ago, she would have gone out with the few friends she'd managed to make in San Francisco. Now, as she pulled into her parking space, she knew the following hours until the next shift began would be spent isolated in her lonely apartment. Even if her friendship with Nick and Warrick had grown past the "out for an occasional drink" stage, they were working the swing shift, and she knew how precious sleep was. (Mainly because she got so little herself).

Other than the one time during the Strip Strangler case, when they'd all trooped into Grissom's apartment to rally around him, she'd never been to any of the homes of the people she worked with, not even Greg who apparently had had everyone to his apartment at some stage.

One particular line from the Linkin Park song kept spinning through her mind. "_Tension is building inside steadily…Everyone feels so far away from me, heavy thoughts forcing their way out of me."_

She bought her computer to life and logged onto the net. She knew the group was "Linkin Park" and found the song "From the Inside". As she finished downloading the track, she turned on her receiver and let the song loop.

Lying back on her sofa, she was able to compare everything in the song to some point or event in her life.

"_I don't know who to trust, no surprise." _Definitely Grissom. How many times had she trusted him, and how many times had he carelessly crushed that trust?

"_Everyone feels so far away from me." _Well, that was pretty much what her life in Las Vegas had become. Her few friends were physically far away, and the people she worked with now were emotionally far away.

"_Heavy thoughts sift through the dust…and the lies." _She honestly couldn't remember the last time her mind had not been clouded. With her emotions and feelings toward Grissom, with her desire to further her career, which after Nick had been given the promotion, could not see happening in Vegas any time soon. On top of all that the stagnant complication her life had become here.

"_Trying not to break but I'm tired of this deceit." _Technically, she'd already "broken". The DUI that Grissom had saved her from. The insubordination incident with Catherine and Ecklie. Again Grissom to the rescue. But had he really? Maybe being fired wouldn't have been so bad, then at least she would have been forced to move on and as hard as that would have been, it couldn't be worse than the life she was currently living.

"_Every time I try to make myself get back up on my feet." _All the times she'd tried to change her life. Getting out, dating Hank. Again Grissom had always been at the back of her mind. That and his obvious displeasure when he'd called her back to work on her day off, after admonishing her for not getting out enough.

"_All I ever think about is this…All the tiring and time between… And how trying to put my trust in you…Just takes so much out of me."_ Well, really that was the summation of every single feeling she'd had since he'd distanced himself from her. A blow made even worse after she'd heard the "confession" he'd made to Dr Lurie.

"_Take everything from the inside… And throw it all away…Cause I swear for the last time…I won't trust myself with you." _Sitting up a little, she thought, 'That's it! I have to leave. If I want to stay sane, I have no choice. He'll still have a hold over me. Probably always will, but I can't do this anymore.' She almost sighed in relief as she resolved herself to the decision.

No going back to anywhere familiar. Maybe she'd go to D.C. or even apply at the FBI. Their forensics lab was legendary. She would no longer waste her life, her self-worth, her sanity and her talent where it was neither wanted, needed or appreciated.

The simple letter she put on Grissom's desk at the end of the following shift simply said, "I resign," and her signature. She'd packed all she needed and had booked a flight to D.C. for an hour after her shift ended.

It was time to start living.

* * *

Next Chapter based on the song Always on My Mind 


	2. Always On My Mind

DISCLAIMER – Not mine. Belong to Anthony Zuiker, et al, CBS and Alliance Atlantis.

A/N - Was originally posted as 2 parts, now one.

* * *

Always on My Mind

Grissom finally returned to his office at 11.30. He'd pulled a double going over a triple homicide, going over the crime scene getting every bit of evidence possible. Opening the door, he saw a piece of paper on the desk. It had the official LVPD/CSI letterhead and save for three lines, was blank.

His heart froze in his chest. Almost instinctively he knew what it was. He had to force himself to walk the two yards to his desk. With a trembling hand he picked up the paper.

_To Dr Gil Grissom,_

_As of the above date, I resign._

_Sara Sidle CSI 3_

No explanations, no apologies. She was simply gone. He saw the document sized envelope next. He opened it and upended it onto his desk. It had contained her badge, cell phone, lab ID and the keys to her locker. He picked up the ID. The young woman smiling out at him looked so happy and confident.

Thinking back, he wasn't able to come up with a single time in the past two years when she'd looked that content. The last time he'd seen her was the previous night when he'd handed her her assignment, before leaving for his triple homicide.

An old song came to mind. Elvis Presley's "You Were Always On My Mind". And she was. Now as he looked at the note in his hands, the words of the song were all the more meaningful. "_Maybe I didn't treat you…Quite as good as I should have…Maybe I didn't love you…Quite as often as I could have…Little things I should have said and done…I just never took the time". _

Taking her keys from his desk, he hurried to the locker room. His hands were still shaking as he unlocked and opened the door to her locker. All her personal effects were gone. The only things left were her flack-jacket, bullet-proof vest and overalls.

Fishing out his cell, he punched her speed dial number. He let the connection ring out before pushing the End button on the cell.

He took out his keys, and rushed from the building, paperwork all but forgotten.

Driving like a madman, he pushed his Denali to the limit getting to her apartment, though he knew deep down that she wouldn't be there.

Pulling up to the complex, he saw a moving van out the front. Racing to her apartment he saw two burly men man-handling a sofa through the door. A little breathless he asked, "Where is all this stuff being taken?"

"Local Red Cross."

Suspiciously he asked, "All of it?"

The other guy nodded, "Yeah, I guess she got married and decided she didn't want none of her stuff no more."

Nodding absentmindedly Grissom walked slowly back to his truck. Sitting behind the wheel he thought, '_Not married. Leaving everything behind. To start again. Somewhere else.'_

Driving back to the lab, he thought back on the many things he could have done differently. The top of his list was at least admitting to her face that ye, he did have romantic feelings toward her. Yes, he was afraid, but he'd work on it, THEY'D work on it together. Pulling up at the lab, he knew he needed to inform Ecklie of what had happened. Damn, he really couldn't stand that guy.

With resolute steps he made his way through the corridors to the supervisors office. Unsurprisingly Catherine was there having a very animated conversation with the little worm.

Knocking politely he entered at the curt nod. Catherine rose to leave. "No stay, you need to hear this too."

Surprise flashed across her face as she re-took her seat.

'_No use beating around the bush,"_ he thought, so he simply stated. "We need to find a replacement for Sara Sidle. As of this morning, she has resigned her position at this lab."

Having said what he needed to, Grissom walked from the room and back to his office.

Catherine and Ecklie sat in stunned silence. After a short while, a smile spread across Ecklie's face. "Well, that ended up being much easier than I thought."

Catherine looked sharply at him. "What do you mean?"

The smile grew wider and somewhat shark like. "Firstly, I had already contacted a level 2CSI from Colorado, when I suspended her for insubordination. I had hoped that Grissom would have done the right thing and fired her, but he didn't. The guy I contacted is still interested, so I'll be letting him know that he can move to Vegas, and start ASAP."

Still staring, her disbelief growing she asked, "You knew?"

"Sure," he said now almost laughing. "I had to okay her résumé, plus which there have been quite a few calls from labs across the country, asking about her."

"Why didn't you say anything?" her ire was beginning to rise. It wasn't as though she and Sara were best buddies, but she did respect her as a fellow CSI.

"It's not like you've lost a friend Catherine."

"No, but the number 2 lab in the country, which, incidentally has been dropping, and with Sara – who happens to have one of the highest solve rates – gone, the labs reputation will drop even further. If Gil leaves – and he probably will – because of this, the ranking, and reputation will be in free-fall. For such a politically savvy guy, you sure screwed the pooch on this one. I doubt that Sheriff Atwater will be too impressed with your reasoning."

The smile fell from his face as the implications of what he'd done hit him. Catherine left Ecklie to stew on his decision.

Paging Warrick and Nick to meet her in the break-room, she met them on the way there, and they entered together. Warrick looked at Nick and they both looked at Catherine. "Before you hear it from any rumour mill, as of this morning, Sara's no longer working a the lab."

Both men were dumbfounded. It was almost a full five minutes before Nick spoke. "You're kidding right?"

Catherine shook her head. "Not kidding. Ecklie's already employed her replacement."

Warrick was the first to voice the other consideration. "How's Grissom taking it?"

"He seemed fine when he announced it."

Nick snorted, "Yeah, right. I highly doubt that he's really okay with it."

"I don't know man," Warrick said. "Have you seen him with Sofia lately? He looks pretty into her. He even asked her out for dinner."

Listening to the speculations the guy's were throwing around, Catherine thought she had a pretty good idea why Sara had left. Her leaving would have a negative impact on the lab, aside from the obvious connection to Grissom, most of the lab thought highly of her.

Grissom was in his darkened office, the shock of Sara's resignation had bought on a migraine of unusually intense proportion. He didn't dare drive home, knowing that the sunlight and noise of traffic would worsen the pain in his head to the point where he'd collapse from the pain.

There was a light knock at his door. "Come."

"Hey Gil, was just bringing you the case update on…" Finally seeing the agonised look on his face,Sofia asked, "Are you okay?"

Almost moaning he said, "Not really. Migraine."

Backing out slowly the blonde said, "Oh, then I'll leave you. Hope you feel better soon."

Barely able to get the words out, Grissom stopped her. "No, could you please drive me home."

* * *

In the weeks since Sara's resignation, Grissom had become morose. Increasingly being filled with doubt, self-loathing and recrimination. Never the most accessible of people, he'd now withdrawn to the point where unless he was dealing directly with a case, he spoke to no one.

There was no time in his life that he could remember feeling worse. Thoughts of Sara occupied his mind constantly. At crime scenes it was all he could do to concentrate on the case. At the office piles of paperwork were growing exponentially.

Catherine had tried repeatedly to talk to him. Everyone knew what the problem was, and if would only be a matter of time before Ecklie would call her on the fact that her signature was on Grissom's reports, not his.

The new guy that had come from Colorado, Kyle Maxwell had turned out to be and absolute asshole. Surprisingly it was Sofia who stepped in to do something, about the plummeting morale at the lab.

Stepping into her former boss's office without him noticing, she waited till the prickly feel that someone's watching you, alerted him to her presence.

There was only a slight reaction of surprise when he looked up to see his former subordinate. Having his attention, she closed the door and sat down.

Without preamble she said, "Where did Sara go?"

Ecklie tried to stare her down, but she didn't falter. He pretended to finished checking some paperwork before acknowledging her with an answer. "I'm sorry Miss Curtis, but you have no right to ask that question."

"Bullshit Conrad. You screwed me over by sending me to nightshift, and I've learned to live with it. As it turns out, the nightshift crew really is a hell of a lot better than the dayshift, especially when you were the supervisor. Gil Grissom is the best teacher anyone could wish for, and he's a hell of a leader. You know you screwed him over when you let Sara Sidle go. You KNEW they had SOMETHING. Wether or not they were in a romantic, sexually relationship it doesn't matter, because if you don't bring her back he will leave, and you'll have lost the ONLY asset this lab has. You'll be able to forget any more grants, and the spotlight will never be on this lab again. Sure you've got some great, top level CSI's, but the new guy is bringing everyone down.

I thought I could provide come of the support that Sara obviously gave Grissom, but I'm not her. So either you tell me where she is, so I can at least give Gil some piece of mind, or you call her and ask her to come back to the lab!" Having finished saying her piece she sat back and waited for the lab director's reply.

His voice was calm and ice cold. "Firstly Miss Curtis, I WILL NOT be talked to that way in my own office. I am very aware of the situation, and you overestimate the influence of both Miss Sidle and Dr Grissom on this lab. The disruption caused by the two of them and whatever relationship they have, has ALREADY been a detriment. I sincerely doubt that Miss Sidle's return would change that fact. Your concern has been duly noted and dismissed. Thank you for your observations and input. Good day Miss Curtis."

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Sofia left Ecklie's office. She knew he could have fired her for the outburst and what she was about to do next, but she also knew that he didn't have the balls to do anything to her after shafting her out of the Swing-shift Supervisor position.

Her next stop was to Sheriff Atwater. Even if the rumours of his neutral relationship with Grissom were true, surely he could see that Gil Grissom was an asset they couldn't afford to loose.

A solitary figure sat in the bleachers of an empty ice rink. The Zamboni had finished smoothing out the ice almost an hour ago, but Grissom's mind was still focused on the moment years ago when he'd been sitting with Sara. One minute he'd been talking about baseball, telling her that he thought it was a beautiful game. The answer to her '_Since when are you interested in beauty?_' had fallen from his lips without fore-thought or intent. "**Since I met you**."

He'd seen her shock out of the corner of his eye, and casually stated that they go search the ice for clues. He left quickly not trusting himself to say anything else for fear that he'd blurt out more than that.

Everything since then had been a push me, pull you game that had wounded both of them. He thought nothing could have been worse than when he'd found out she'd been dating the paramedic, Hank Pedigrew, he was wrong. He never would have believed that it would ache so badly to have her out of his life.

The truth was though that he'd never actually believed she would. He'd trusted that she was smitten enough with him to remain unhappy, despondent, and lonely in Las Vegas. Yes it was chauvinism at its worst. What had made him think that a bright, beautiful woman like Sara would be satisfied with the pseudo relationship he was offering?

He could have looked for her. Being a brilliant investigator it would have taken him a matter of hours if that. But it seemed pitiful, as pitiful as the thought that she'd stay in Las Vegas and be unhappy for him. As much as his pride was keeping him from pursuing her, the gapping hole in his heart was causing him to waver.

Across town, Sofia had finished talking to Sheriff Atwater, and the smile on her face could have lit the entire Strip for a week. She then did something she never thought she'd do, she called Catherine.

Ten minutes later she sent a simple text message to Grissom's cell phone – SS 6125552370. Grissom who'd reluctantly returned to his town house checked the message that lit up the screen. He put his cell phone down and slowly picked up his land-line handset. He punched in the numbers and waited as call went through.

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Next Chapter -Sara gets sick. 


	3. Hopelessly Devoted

DISCLAIMER – Not mine. Belong to Anthony Zuiker, et al, CBS and Alliance Atlantis.

A/N – Sara realizes that relocating may not have been such a good idea.

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**Hopelessly Devoted**

It'd only been a few weeks since she'd moved from Las Vegas to Minneapolis, and although she'd deny it till blue in the face, she still dreamt of HIM nightly. Finding a good psychologist was the only thing she had left to do. Then maybe, finally she'd find the key to closing the Grissom/Las Vegas chapter of her life.

Sara kept her schedule full partly out of wanting to fit in, go out with the people she worked with if asked, but mainly, so she wouldn't constantly think of HIM. If she wasn't working, she was socializing. If neither of those, she could be found at the indoor abseiling centre. It was "her thing" that everyone in Las Vegas had been after her about. She did have to admit though that it was a great way of decompressing.

As she drove home on this afternoon, she could tell she was coming down with something. Her head hadn't stopped aching all day which was strange since she wasn't prone to headaches. Her eyes were burning, and there was a very uncomfortable rasp in the back of her throat. Getting home she threw her work gear on the table and went straight to bed.

Waking a few hours later, she was dismayed to find that the rasp a turned into a painful hacking cough. It took every bit of energy to pick up the phone and call to leave a message letting her supervisor know that she wouldn't be in for a few days. She then grabbed her cell phone to send a text message letting her friend know she had the flu and wouldn't be up for a few days.

That done, she stumbled to the kitchen for a glass of juice, took care of business in the bathroom and collapsed back into bed. She was asleep as soon as she'd gotten herself comfortable.

The following twelve hours were a haze of fever dreams (all featuring one Gil Grissom) with the occasional trip to the kitchen or bathroom.

Around midday incessant knocking from her front door, and a continuous humming from her cell interrupted her sleep. Rousing herself she dragged herself to the door. If she'd had the strength she'd so be cursing out the person who was bothering her while she was busy dying.

Opening the door she squinted at the person who was trying to wake the dead. Cade Stanbury, the assistant coroner at the Minneapolis ME's office. It'd been him who'd introduced her to abseiling, him who'd taken her out with him, to the local hangouts. She could've easily fallen for him; except for the fact that she didn't have the Y chromosome, he could have fallen for her too.

He took one look at her as she shuffled her back into her apartment. "Oh Sunshine if I'd known you were so bad, I'd a let ya sleep."

She managed a small moan before he'd swept her into his arms, and bought her back to bed.

"Hey Gil, what'cha doin' here?" she asked as he bought the blanket to her chin.

Knowing some of her history with the renown Entomologist, he thought with her fever, it'd be better if he just played along.

"Hey there yourself gorgeous," he said as he rifled through her bathroom cabinet for anything that would bring her fever down. She didn't even have any asprin for crying out loud.

Cade searched her kitchen cabinets, only to find a few tins of tomato soup, ritz crackers, and various condiments. Her fridge wasn't much better. A few vegetables were dying slow deaths in the crisper, the milk seemed okay, but she was out of juice. Her freezer was a little better stocked. Frozen dinners, a few pints of Ben & Jerry's Choc Chip, no meat, but then he remembered her mentioning that she was a vegetarian.

Quickly checking on her in the bedroom, he grabbed his keys and went to get supplies.

First on his list was fresh vegetables, he had a wicked good vegetable soup recipe that would make Sara feel much better. He also grabbed some Flu and Cold medication. Didn't matter which ones, just so he could get her temperature down, and sooth the hacking cough, he also bought a few more cartons of fruit juice great for a vitamin boost. Finally, he stopped by his own apartment and grabbed a few DVD's. He knew Sara didn't have anyone else that would take care of her, and he'd appointed himself as her guardian.

Arriving back at Sara's apartment, he set to work making the vegetable soup. As he worked, he played his favourite DVD, GREASE. Humming along to the opening tune, he poured a glass of juice and grabbed a Flu capsule.

Sara had barely moved while he was gone. Her face was still flushed with fever, and her breathing sounded more sonorous than ever. Taking a wash cloth he wet it, and gently wiped her forehead with it.

"Sara honey, can you wake up for me for a while?" he said as he smoothed damp hair from her forehead.

"Gil? What's happening? I feel like shit."

Cade smiled. "I know honey. I've got some juice for you, and a pill that'll make you feel much better."

"Okay Griss," she winced as she swallowed the juice with the pill. "I'm going back to sleep now."

Wiping her brow with the wash cloth once more Cade said, "You sleep Sunshine. Get better."

Next on Cade's agenda was calling work and letting them know he'd be taking some time off. "Hi, I'm calling cause I won't be in for the next few days. I know, but Tom said he'd fill the shift till I get back. No, just taking care of a friend who needs someone…Yeah. Thanks."

That done, he checked on his vegetable soup which was coming along nicely. Sitting down in the lounge, he turned the volume up on the movie, as Sandy's Hopelessly Devoted To You started. Damn but he loved this movie, especially this part.

Four days later, and Cade had stayed pretty much by Sara's side. Feeding her vegetable soup heavily laced with garlic and onion. Making her take the medication that was finally starting to show results. Taking advantage of the fact that she was in bed sleeping, he put the Grease disc back into the DVD.

Sara had flatly refused to watch it when she was in the living room, something about having to see it more times than any child should be exposed to.

Though she hesitated when he asked her why she'd seen it so many times, he was a good friend and would not be judgemental about the foster homes, so she told him. But not why she'd been sent there. Her foster brothers and sisters had varied tastes, one of her sisters had a taste for musicals. So she'd been forced to watch Grease and Xanadu enough times to last a lifetime.

Half way through the movie, the phone started ringing. He picked it up quickly before it had a chance to wake Sara. "Hello?"

Silence. He repeated his greeting and was still met with silence. "Listen creep, I don't know who the hell you are, but I don't appreciate these kinds of calls."

With that he slammed the phone back into its cradle. Hearing sneezing and sniffing coming from the bedroom, he quickly went to see what Sara needed. "Hey Sunshine."

She looked at him from under the blanket. "Cade? You still here?"

"Sure I am Sunshine. Not gonna leave until your up and about on your own."

"I really wish you'd stop calling me that. Damn I feel like shit," she said grabbing the glass of OJ she took a sip and grimaced. "It's warm."

Cade recognized the slight whine of someone whose finally getting better. Smiling he took the glass from her and went to get a fresh cold glass for her. When he got back, he smiled. Sara had fallen asleep again. She was getting better, but still in need of a lot of sleep. Returning to the living room, he reset the DVD to play from the beginning.

As Sandy started to sing Hopelessly Devoted, the melody and words drifted to the bedroom, and into Sara's mind. The words spoke exactly of her feelings. She knew she wasn't the first, nor would she be the last to have her heart broken and cry over a man. Who was she kidding, Grissom.

From the first moment she'd seen him at the seminar, to dropping everything in San Francisco to join him in Las Vegas. The endless flirting, that had suddenly ceased. The lab explosion, and putting everything on the line to finally ask him out to dinner, and the crushing sadness at his firm almost cruel outright refusal. Hearing his confession of feelings and inability to commit to doing anything about them to Lurie.

She'd finally moved to Minneapolis, made friends, been accepted in a new job, but there was just no getting over him. Her mind constantly screamed at her to forget him. Usually she could silence it with more work, socializing or an extra hour abseiling.

Her heart was at constant odds with her reason. No matter how much she tried to distract herself, her heart always went back to Grissom and inexorably her head would follow.

She was woken by Cade shaking her softly, "Hey Sunshine, you alright?"

Surprised, Sara wiped her eyes and found her face wet with tears. "Yeah, just a dream."

"Come on into the lounge-room, get you moving a little more. Also have some more soup I need to feed you."

Moaning as he helped her up, she leant against him. She was much better but still a little weak.

Greased Lightening was currently on screen. Sara sighed, "You still watching this?"

"Hey, I know you had a bad experience, but I told you the week you got here, that this was my favourite movie."

"Okay, my favourite movie is Marnie. Doesn't mean that I'm gonna still and watch it continuously for four days. Have you watched anything else at all?"

"Sure. Queer Eye, South Pacific, The L Word, Victor/Victoria."

Knowing he wouldn't take offence she said, "Gee, gay much? What about Will and Grace?"

Smiling broadly he said, "Oh yeah, that too. Although I can thankfully say I've never come across anyone as shallow as Jack."

The phone rang again, and Cade was about to answer it when Sara asked to look at the caller ID. Her heart leapt as she recognised the number.

"Give it here. NOW!" She held out her hand. He quickly dropped the still ringing handset into her open hand.

In a small soft voice she said, "Hi."

* * *

Stay tuned. More to come.


	4. I Just Called

DISCLAIMER – Not mine. Belong to Anthony Zuiker, et al, CBS and Alliance Atlantis.

A/N – And the fluff continues. Thinking of calling it quits here. I think I mightneed some insulin soon,writing all this syrupy stuff. :-)

* * *

**I Just Called…**

Grissom felt the stone that had been resting on his heart roll away as he heard her soft, _'Hi'. _His mind had locked up. There was so much he needed, wanted to say, it had caused gridlock in his neural pathways.

"Griss? You still there?"

Managing only a stammered, "Yeah, I'm here."

Sara wanted to scream and yell at him for being too late, too callous, too stubborn, but instead her voice still low she asked, "Why'd you call?"

The roadblock finally dissipating, Grissom was finally able to make a coherent sentence, asked his own question. "Why'd you leave?"

He heard her sigh, "Damn Grissom haven't you paid ANY attention the last few years? Other than when I told you about my childhood, and when I checked in with you as required by the PEAP counselor and demanded by Ecklie, how many times have we talked?"

His silence was all she needed for her answer. "Right. Never. You KNOW how I feel, I've told you more than once, AND I know how you feel. When you interviewed Dr Lurie, I was behind the mirror. I heard everything."

Despair crashed down on him again he muttered, "I guess I should just hang up now then."

"NO. No, please don't. You still haven't told me why you called."

An uncharacteristic not of defeat sounded in his voice, "Everyone here misses you."

"Grissom I don't CARE about everyone else. Why did **you** call?"

Knowing it was now or never, that this was his last chance he said, "I called…I called because…I – I…because I love you."

Once he'd said it he felt the shadow that had passed over his life move away. He was still grinning like a fool when he realized that Sara had yet to say anything. "Sara, you still there?"

"Uh,…yeah Griss. Still here, just processing what I THINK it was that you just said."

His voice softened, "You heard right. I said I love you."

"Whoa…you're not just saying it out of desperation are you"

"No, I'm saying it because not that I've admitted it to myself, I had to say it. It sounds right, because it is right."

"Wow, I'm happy you've finally figured it out. It's six weeks too late, but I'm glad."

Grissom's heart which had been flying suddenly dropped like a rock. "Why is it too late?"

"Because I'm here now. And I'm happy."

He wasn't sure what he'd expected her reaction to be, but he felt let down. "Oh…well, Sheriff Atwater has given you your job back, just in case you were interested."

"Really? Ecklie's gotta be pissed about that. I thought he was gonna throw a party when I told him I was leaving."

Grissom smiled a little. "Yeah, don't know how or what happened, but Sofia went to see him then Atwater, and next thing I know I'm getting a text message from her with your Minneapolis work number."

Surprised, that Sofia would go that far for her Sara said, "Sofia demanded that I be reinstated?"

Grissom sighed, "Well I only know the little that I already told you. So I guess her talk with Atwater resulted in the reinstatement."

Sara was dumbfounded. She'd known about his dinner invitation to Sofia, and it had been one of the catalysts to her resignation, though she'd never admit it to Grissom. She'd barely spent more than half a shift with Sofia in the months she'd worked the nightshift, and quite frankly she didn't think much of her one way or the other.

"Huh. Still doesn't change anything Griss. I'm not moving back to Las Vegas. I'm actually happy here. Really happy for the first time in years."

"Does it have anything to do with the guy who answered the phone?"

Bright red crossed Sara's field of vision and she almost slammed the phone down. Instead she counted to ten, then calmly answered, "No Grissom, it has NOTHING to do with the guy who answered the phone. Not that you have any right to even ask given the last few years. Cade is a GREAT friend who's been at my place for the last week making sure I'm okay."

Panicked Grissom asked, "Why? What's happened?"

"Nothing Grissom, I've had a bad case of the flu, besides I'm missing one very important thing to be of any interest in 'that way' to Cade. I don't have the Y chromosome."

There was silence on the line. "He's gay Grissom. Other than being a great friend, and teaching me to abseil, relax and be human again, he's not interested in me."

"Oh."

"Hey Griss, I really should go. Still not quite over this flu, and I'm really starting to get a little tired and woozy."

He was disappointed. "Oh okay. I'll call you back later."

"That would be great. Oh, and Grissom, I love you too."

* * *

A/N - If you want more, you're gonna have to let me know. 


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